Jimbo59 Posted July 1, 2008 #1 Share Posted July 1, 2008 In past years, the suggested tipping policy was $3.50 per person per day for the waiters and cabin stewards and $2.00 per person per day for the assistant waiters. Passengers were given envelopes and we gave the waiters, assistant waiters, and cabin stewards cash. Now Princess suggests a hotel charge of $10.50 per person per day. How much of the $10.50 per person per day do the waiters, assistant waiters, and cabin stewards actually receive? How much is diverted to the head waiters and other supervisors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sultan_sfo Posted July 1, 2008 #2 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Our Estimates: About half (or a little less) of those "old" suggested amounts. But the rest does not go to head waiters or supervisors. It goes to "other" behind the scenes who directly support the stewards, waiters, and asst. waiters -- examples, steward cart set up, laundry set ups, buffet workers, etc. Anything above the automatic (that is if you dont remove or lower the automatic), goes 100% to the person to whom you give cash. In past years, the suggested tipping policy was $3.50 per person per day for the waiters and cabin stewards and $2.00 per person per day for the assistant waiters. Passengers were given envelopes and we gave the waiters, assistant waiters, and cabin stewards cash. ... How much is diverted to the head waiters and other supervisors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senior lady Posted July 1, 2008 #3 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Princess has had the "auto" tipping for yrs now. I think it's a good idea. I know on other cruises we've talked to waiters, room stewards, etc and you wouldn't believe the amount of people who "sneak" out without paying the them. The dinning room is almost empty on the last night, so they don't have to give the employee's their tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morriscats Posted July 1, 2008 #4 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Our cabin steward on Diamond told us he received about $2.50 of the $11.00 (mini) charge per day. He did not have an assistant to share it with and he had 16 rooms to clean. We left him an extra tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onthelake Posted July 1, 2008 #5 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I would just like to add that the dropping value of the American dollar overseas has had a large impact on the cruise ship staff. When they now send their money home, it has less buying power - especially if they are from a country that is now Euro based. I wish the 'tips' were added into the cruise fare from the start and then we wouldn't need all the tipping threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onthelake Posted July 1, 2008 #6 Share Posted July 1, 2008 the dreaded double post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel5 Posted July 1, 2008 #7 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I was told by a cabin steward that they are "assessed" $1.10pp/per day from the auto tip to cover helpers, cart loaders laundry workers etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katisdale Posted July 1, 2008 #8 Share Posted July 1, 2008 This "assessment" is really not a change. When we handed out the envelopes the steward still had to tip other "unseen" helpers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevesan Posted July 1, 2008 #9 Share Posted July 1, 2008 And land hotels and restaurants??? :p We obssess over how much cruise stewards take home, but don't give a tinker's dam about hotel/restaurant workers. I don't get it. :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druke I Posted July 1, 2008 #10 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I don't get it either. I don't ask what you make as salary - and I don't really want to concern myself with what other might make. Additionally, I won't ask what you paid for your airline ticket, nor what you paid of your cruise. I think some are much too curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted July 1, 2008 #11 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I agree. These are all assumptions anyway and we all know what assume means. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sultan_sfo Posted July 1, 2008 #12 Share Posted July 1, 2008 May be you don't -- we do! In most cities it is minimum wage ($5/hr) -- San Francisco and a few other cities have legislated "livable wage" between $9 to $11.50 per hour as minimum. And yes -- we still tip. Also, the working hours of a cruise crew member is not 8 hours / day either. /Sultan And land hotels and restaurants??? :p We obssess over how much cruise stewards take home, but don't give a tinker's dam about hotel/restaurant workers. I don't get it. :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin Bob Posted July 1, 2008 #13 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I don't get it either. I don't ask what you make as salary - and I don't really want to concern myself with what other might make. Additionally, I won't ask what you paid for your airline ticket, nor what you paid of your cruise. I think some are much too curious. I do not want to pay $30,000 for a car if everyone else is paying $25,000 I do not think people are too curious. I think it is a matter of fairness and not feeling that they have been ripped off. This feeling is true if it is $20 or $2,000. Many are simply interested in equity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted July 2, 2008 #14 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I do not want to pay $30,000 for a car if everyone else is paying $25,000 I do not think people are too curious. I think it is a matter of fairness and not feeling that they have been ripped off. This feeling is true if it is $20 or $2,000. Many are simply interested in equity. This will still not get an honest true answer, only rumors which make things worse on both sides Passengers/crew. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsqrl Posted July 2, 2008 #15 Share Posted July 2, 2008 People who go around worrying about being ripped off just suck the joy right out of life, don't they? Anyway, my take on this is, leave the damn stewards alone, everyone. To me, actually asking these workers how much money they get out of the autotip and how much they earn and all the rest of the impertinent questions passengers pepper them with is rude and disrespectful. Do you ask your attorney how much of his $350/hour he actually pockets? Of course not. So have the same respect for your cabin steward and your waiter and all the rest of the people serving you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morriscats Posted July 2, 2008 #16 Share Posted July 2, 2008 We did not ask him - he told us when we were asking for an envelope to put the additional tip in. Maybe it was true, maybe it was to get a bigger additional tip. Whatever - he did a good job and we tipped accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhopal21 Posted July 2, 2008 #17 Share Posted July 2, 2008 People who go around worrying about being ripped off just suck the joy right out of life, don't they? Anyway, my take on this is, leave the damn stewards alone, everyone. To me, actually asking these workers how much money they get out of the autotip and how much they earn and all the rest of the impertinent questions passengers pepper them with is rude and disrespectful. Do you ask your attorney how much of his $350/hour he actually pockets? Of course not. So have the same respect for your cabin steward and your waiter and all the rest of the people serving you. Hear, Hear! I wish all I had to worry about was how much someone else was paid for doing their job.:p Mike:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slomotion Posted July 2, 2008 #18 Share Posted July 2, 2008 We were on the Emerald from 5/24 to 6/5 (this year) Our room steward was very helpful and had a great attitude. As we wanted to be sure he was nicely taken care of, I went down to the purser's desk and asked them how much of the $11 daily tip cost the steward received. They said 35%. So knowing that he got about $3.85 a day we were able to decide how much to give him in cash. I would never have asked him for that information. a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sultan_sfo Posted July 2, 2008 #19 Share Posted July 2, 2008 To those who are questioning some of us who posted estimates, it is for this very reason -- many pax are under the impression that the entire $11 is distributed only to stewards, waiters, and asst. waiters. If this were the case, all of us would be less inclined to tip extra. However, reality is different. The person at the Purser's desk is an example of a "total idiot". Even the description posted by Princess spells out that there are many crew members who share in the auto-tip. /Sultan We were on the Emerald from 5/24 to 6/5 (this year) Our room steward was very helpful and had a great attitude. As we wanted to be sure he was nicely taken care of, I went down to the purser's desk and asked them how much of the $11 daily tip cost the steward received. They said 35%. So knowing that he got about $3.85 a day we were able to decide how much to give him in cash. I would never have asked him for that information. a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptcruzers Posted July 2, 2008 #20 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Let's see, your room is cleaned every day, your bed is turned down, all your '"mail" is just there when you need it, you always have plenty of ice, we have never been misled when asking for info about the ship, we have always had a room steward who is always available, (or has someone to be available), we are on vacation, we are treated like royalty, so let me guess- yes, the $10.50 per person per day is a good deal. We had a room steward in 4.07, (Nora), on the CB- my wife wanted to know if we could smuggle her home to work for us!! IMHO the cruise lines try their darndest to nickle and dime us, so why should I nickle and dime myself? I think my drink needs refreshing!!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Fan Posted July 2, 2008 #21 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I had coffee and several conversations with some lovely people from Australia they pretty much figure we from the US were crazy with all our tipping. They told me it's not done there because they pay the workers a livable wage and it's not expected. That said, I kept the auto tip on and paid extra. I sure would like to hear from our Australian friends and find out if this is a fact. It will make it so much easier when I visit. Dianne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Times Prince Posted July 2, 2008 #22 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I had coffee and several conversations with some lovely people from Australia they pretty much figure we from the US were crazy with all our tipping. They told me it's not done there because they pay the workers a livable wage and it's not expected. That said, I kept the auto tip on and paid extra.It is the same in Holland - tipping is only for extraordinary service, and by American standards is very minor. If one goes to a restaurant and gets decent service the tip in the US ranges about 15% - 18% to 20% for extraordinary service. Having had a daughter who worked for a chain restaurant I know that U.S. waitresses are paid less than minimum wage and are expected to average 15%. Now consider what the cost of those onboard meals and drinks would be if you were served in a restaurant, plus the extraordinary service received from stewards, room service, wandering drink waiters, bar tenders, pizza, cafeteria, and grill workers, bus persons, laundry services, etc. and the autotip seems quite reasonable. As said before - they treat us like royalty. When individuals go beyond expectations, we will compensate. So, relax, enjoy the cruise and service, and be thankful for the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B40 Tha Cruisa Posted July 2, 2008 #23 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I agree that if someone actually asked how much the ships employees get out of the auto-tip its downright rude. Some may believe it is our business to know, but its really not. Does it really make a difference if they get 1 dollar or 2 to you? One should tip based on the service they receive, not based on the structure of the auto-tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sultan_sfo Posted July 2, 2008 #24 Share Posted July 2, 2008 If I go to a restaurant which "automatically" adds 18% (if I am in a group of 6 or more) then I know how much to "add" as extra tip for an extra good service so that my "total" tip reflects the service I received. To say that the portion of auto-tip received by the cabin steward or by the waiter or asst. waiter is "irrelevant" to how much "extra" I should give is ABSURD! But in these forums everyone (including you and I) feel that we are the one who is "always" right. No more from me on this issue. I agree that one should not "ask" but one MUST estimate what one is already giving in the form of auto-tip to calculate the total tip for the service. I agree that if someone actually asked how much the ships employees get out of the auto-tip its downright rude. Some may believe it is our business to know, but its really not. Does it really make a difference if they get 1 dollar or 2 to you? One should tip based on the service they receive, not based on the structure of the auto-tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comicbookguy Posted July 2, 2008 #25 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I had coffee and several conversations with some lovely people from Australia they pretty much figure we from the US were crazy with all our tipping. They told me it's not done there because they pay the workers a livable wage and it's not expected. That said, I kept the auto tip on and paid extra. I sure would like to hear from our Australian friends and find out if this is a fact. It will make it so much easier when I visit. Dianne Dianne.. Speaking as an Australian - Here the wages/conditions that people work under (or at least the conditions set out in the law) are a little better than most places (National health care, paid sick leave, paid 4 weeks a year vacation for full time workers, Long service leave, holiday leave loading, etc, etc) If you go to a resturant here you're not expected to tip. However personally if I find the service particularly good I will tip something. This isn't a particular percentage/whatever - there are no RULES for tipping here. It took me a few days when I was visiting the US/Canada to get my head around the whole tipping thing (a friendly Texan lady whom I chatted to on a long plane flight gave me an outline of the 'rules' as she understood them). Here in Australia, tipping is seen as an extra 'well done' - not something that's expected of you just to get service. You'll find a lot of Australians actively dislike the concept of 'forced' tips. Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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